Since the destigmatization of cannabis has taken effect throughout world, we can say with brimming confidence that the plant is safer than what the alcohol and tobacco industries have to offer. Believe it or not, one science laboratory out of Oregon believes, that in a way, the cannabis they test is safer than any food product we could possibly buy as well.

The Portland-based GreenHaus Analytical Labs recently claimed that the state’s recreational marijuana undergoes more testing than our very own food supply, and thus is a safer product to consume. The state of Oregon is considered to have the strictest standards in the cannabis industry, and requires labs like GreenHaus to conduct numerous tests for a number of factors.

The lab is required to examine several dozen samples from each marijuana harvest, as well as oil and concentrates that can be produced by the sample, looking for pesticides, mold, and potency. They also take the approved samples that are turned into edibles and test the final food product, ensuring that each one doesn’t exceed Oregon’s 15 milligram THC limit for edibles. If these samples fail two of the many tests that GreenHaus conducts, it can’t be sold.

"If you can't sell your product, that's a big motivator to find a new product that is safe and possibly organic so you can pass your test and have your product on the shelf," said GreenHaus Analytical Labs’ Molly Lyons. "I could only wish our food was tested to the highest standards as cannabis."

According to Lyons, about 25-30% of the lab’s cannabis samples fail for pesticides, and mold is also a factor in state’s wet climate. A handful of cannabis research laboratories in the Oregon were granted accredited licenses earlier this month, and the Beaver State’s buds are amongst the highest of quality thanks to these strict standards.